It's ironic that celebrities - who generally have the most in material terms and also in terms of human adulation - should be drawn to a philosophy (Buddhism couldn't really be called a religion since it's atheistic) that recommends they eschew the very circumstances that gave them their celebrity in the first place.

I'm reading a book introducing the basic ideas of Buddhism and it's very, very interesting. Pondering over the Noble Eightfold Path - ie meditating on your behaviour measured against 8 rules in the Buddhist code - seems a pretty profound - and, ultimately, very useful thing to do.

So let's hear it for the fat man - and if a few celebs enrich their lives with something a little deeper than what they do in their day jobs then it's all to the good.

Buddhism isn't neccesarily atheistic. The Buddha himself rejected metaphysical speculation as a matter of principle, and his teachings focused entirely on the practical ways to end suffering. Buddha did not explicitly rule out the existence of a God or gods, and very shortly after his death a devotional element formed within Buddhism. Stupas were built to contain relics of the Buddha and pilgrimmages were made to places where he had walked.